


Photobooth

by Lookatallmyships



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Age Difference, Carnival!AU, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, First Meetings, Fluffy, Frodo is nine, M/M, Modern AU, and not mentioned anyway, but probably not an extreme one, prompt fill-sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 04:55:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15429468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lookatallmyships/pseuds/Lookatallmyships
Summary: Bilbo wanders around for a little bit, before he comes across a photobooth. It's one of the ones that takes four photos in quick succession, and then prints them out in a single strip. Bilbo's about to walk by, when he notices a slip of paper in the little cup that the machine dispenses it's photos into.





	Photobooth

**Author's Note:**

> Based on, but not strictly following, this prompt: https://imgur.com/gallery/dbCMMOF
> 
> (Please let me know if it doesn't link right!)

Frodo exits the ride and comes bounding up to Bilbo, practically vibrating with excitement. "Uncle Bilbo, that was awesome! It was so fast!"

 

Bilbo smiles. This year Frodo is finally tall enough to ride most everything at the Carnival, and he's proving to be a bit of a daredevil with his newfound love of rollercoasters. Bilbo doesn't know where he gets it from, as he himself refuses to go anywhere near the things, and as far as Bilbo knows, Prim is the same way. Maybe Drogo...? Bilbo snorts to himself. No. Quiet, mild-mannered Drogo, is far from the daredevil his son is. "It wasn't too scary then?"

 

Frodo shakes his head defiantly. "No! I'm not afraid of any rides." He sniffs, and rolls his eyes. "I _am_ nine, now."

 

Bilbo grins. "Of course, forgive me. Do you know what you want to go on next?"

 

Frodo looks up excitedly. "Oh! Sam and his dad are going to walk around and look at the games. Can I go with them?"

 

Bilbo look up at Sam and Mr. Gamgee who are still standing by the ride's exit gate, to confirm this had been discussed. It wouldn't be the first time Frodo asked Bilbo something, only to leave out the part where he hadn't asked permission from the other party involved yet. Mr Gamgee smiles and nods at Bilbo, so Bilbo nods in agreement. "Alright, but have Sam's dad text me when you're done, ok? I think I'll walk around a little bit."

 

Frodo promises to do so, and runs off.

 

Bilbo sighs inwardly. Hopefully Frodo won't come back with another five feet tall stuffed dog like last year. That had been fun to strap to the roof of Prim's Honda Civic. This year Prim claimed she had a prior commitment she couldn't get out of, but Bilbo refuses to believe it. More likely is, she didn't want to get roped into helping, should Frodo acquire another prize that's as tall as he is. Drogo, of course, couldn't come because he'd agreed to fill in for someone at work last minute, saint that he is.

 

Bilbo wanders around for a little bit, before he comes across a photobooth. It's one of the ones that takes four photos in quick succession, and then prints them out in a single strip. Bilbo's about to walk by, when he notices a slip of paper in the little cup that the machine dispenses it's photos into. He frowns, and looks around. The booth is empty, and there's no one nearby enough to make Bilbo think the photos could be theirs. He picks up the strip of photos, and looks at them curiously.

 

All four photos are of the same person, a young man with dark brown hair and matching eyes. He seems to be upset about something; in each photo he has an anxious look on his face, and in the last one he seems to be peering out past the booth's thin red curtain.

 

Bilbo looks them over, and then pockets the photos on a whim. Maybe he'll find the person, and he can return the photos. Bilbo shakes his head at himself and smiles. 'Always inexplicably drawn to the slightest hint of a mystery, aren't you Bilbo?'

 

He wanders around a bit more, every so often crossing paths with Frodo, before he and Sam race off again.

 

Bilbo's considering collecting Frodo to see if he's hungry yet, when he suddenly finds himself colliding with another person. He reaches out and grabs the person's shoulder to steady them, and frowns apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there-" Bilbo looks up at the person's face, and his eyes widen. "Oh! It's you."

 

The man looks at him curiously. "No, it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going... Do I know you?"

 

Bilbo flushes. "Oh, sorry." He pulls out the photos, and hands them over sheepishly. "I found these in a photobooth, I think they're yours?

 

The man takes them, and scrunches his face up as he inspects the photos. "Oh, gosh." The man laughs, and Bilbo can't help but notice how it lights up his dark brown eyes. "I didn't realize I'd forgotten to grab them. I don't look very enthused, do I? I thought I saw one of my old teachers from college, and I think it's suffice to say that Professor Thranduil doesn't exactly hold any love for me. I ducked into the booth to get out of sight, and I thought it would look weird if I was just silently sitting in there."

 

Bilbo cocks his head. "What did you do? I would imagine he'd have let it go, now that you're no longer in his class."

 

"Well you might _think_ that would be the case, but probably not, since I dated his daughter -briefly." He grins when Bilbo winces.

 

"Mmm, you know what? That just might do it." Bilbo shakes his head in amusement.

 

Suddenly Bilbo hears the sound of running feet, and then Frodo is launching himself at his uncle. "Uncle Bilbo! Sam's dad wants to get some lunch, and he was wondering if you wanted to come."

 

Without giving Bilbo time to answer, Frodo launches into a recount of everything that's happened since he went off with Sam.

 

Bilbo puts a hand on Frodo's shoulder to get his attention, and smiles at him. "I'm very glad you've been having fun. Why don't you go tell Sam and his dad that I'll be right there?"

 

Frodo agrees and races off, and Bilbo turns back around. He looks up to see his new acquaintance watching Frodo leave, in amusement. He smiles at Bilbo. "He's your nephew?"

 

"Yes, and he's quite excited today, as you could probably tell." Bilbo bites his lip, and decides 'what the hell'. "Do you want to come and get something to eat with us? If we run into your professor, I'm sure Frodo would be happy to provide a distraction so you can make an escape."

 

He smiles brightly. "Sure, that would be great! I'm Kili by they."

 

Bilbo smiles. "I'm Bilbo, although you probably heard."

 

As they're making their way over, Bilbo notices Hamfast looking at the two of them curiously.

 

Kili whispers to Bilbo. "Will your friend mind me joining?"

 

Bilbo rolls his eyes. "Oh, he won't mind, but I'm sure he'll have fun trying to interrogate you about how we know each other."

 

Kili shrugs. "I'm not worried. You should try sitting through Christmas dinner with my entire family. _That_ takes some spine to get through unscathed. If I can survive that, I can survive anything."

**Author's Note:**

> I am like Bilbo when it comes to rollercoasters (or any similar rides), so forgive any inaccuracies about Frodo being able to ride most of the rides. I tried researching ages and height requirements and stuff, but ehh ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯. Not pictured in this story, but after interrogating Kili thoroughly, Hamfast totally ships it.
> 
> Should I do a second chapter where Frodo wins another huge prize, and Hamfast stares at Kili suspiciously over lunch?


End file.
